Comments! Compliments! | tarbae-book-art

Comments! Compliments! Acquisitions!

Acquisitions

I am happy to announce that the following pieces of my art work have been acquired by the Milton S. Eisenhower Library of the Johns Hopkins University, where I spent my career as a book conservator. They have been added to their Special Collections Department where many very rare materials that I helped to conserved are kept.

From left to right:

A pop-out binding inspired by the life of Josephine Baker.
A book box symbolizes a holding cage or barracoon built along shore-lines to confine captured Africans awaiting transport across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas or other parts of the world.
An altered cloth binding with a fore-edge painting depicts the famous Cinque in his homeland before captivity.
A Coptic style cloth binding embodies beads, cowry shells, and textiles to symbolize some items used in the slave trade as currency.
A theater box illustrates the capturing and transporting of slaves from inland African and the heartless participation of fellow native Africans.
A document book box (facsimile) of the tin “wallet” carried by Joseph Trammell (1831 – 1859). He made the metal box in 1852 to hold the papers giving him his freedom, now a part of the collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Elaine E. Thompson, in memory of Joseph Trammell.

Guest Book Remarks

Most of the following remarks were written in the guest books displayed at the exhibit venues. Some were made via the WEB (FaceBook, Twitter, E-mails, etc.). I am so grateful for each and everyone who took out time to let me know their thoughts. Thank you for your support!

"Martha Edgerton's work is amazing to behold," said Mary Hastler, CEO of Harford County Public Library. "The story she tells through 25 pieces of book art in 'The Amazing Race' is very moving. We are grateful to Martha for sharing her talent and expertise with us." 10/7/2016

"So very proud of this spectacular exhibit and of Martha E." MB

About the object entitled Tasting Freedom: "...very successful piece, it makes a strong impression." KZ

"Creative and beautifully display telling "The Story." SE-G

"The creativity and skill to make history visual is evidenced by this book art. Martha's talent is awesome!" NWS

"Absolutely a beauty of our journey." JG

"Interesting artistic compositions fabricated of present day materials telling a past story." TL

"All of us from Flint found the exhbit to be very creative with everyday items. Also, the brief history was very informative." CB, LG, DW, MC

"I had the pleasure of meeting Martha Edgerton at Irene Chan's exhibit at UMBC. Martha Edgerton's work is being displayed at the Reginald F. Lewis museum under the title of "The Amazing Race" and will be up till December 27th. If you have never seen any sort of book arts you should definitely go check out her art. It is a really neat experience."--EM, 10/28/2015

"Hello Everyone!

Martha Edgerton, former BFSA President, former book and paper conservator at the Milton S. Eisenhower Library, an inductee into the BFSA’s Indispensable Role of Blacks at JHU, has a new exhibit at the Pratt Library. The exhibit, The Amazing Race – The Atlantic Slave Trade Through the Pages of Book Art opened in February and runs through May 31, 2015.

A special reception will take place on Wednesday, March 18th at 6:00 p.m.. Enjoy light refreshments, support and say hello to Martha."--SM

"Attended this awesome event, The Amazing Race - The Atlantic Slave Trade Through the Pages of Book Art...I learned tonight that the Amazing Grace song was written by John Newton after so many years of transporting slaves across the stormy seas."--TM

"Congratulations on a wonderful and beautiful exhibit!"--GH

"Kudos to the Cake Lady!!!...The reception for the "Amazing Race" exhibit last night was a complete success! Martha Edgerton and Linnette Copeland have begun a great work. Look forward to the expansion of this exhibit."--BM

"Martha, I just wanted to tell you again that the exhibit was magnificent! I enjoyed every moment of it, you and Lynette did an excellent job on the display! What an accomplishment!"--JB

"I still cannot believe what my eyes saw last night. Your sculptural book art is AMAZING!!.I particularly was wowed by the ship on the sheet music ocean!"--NS

"Exhibit Nice...CONGRATS!!"!--GP (Sankofa Exhibit)

"Congrats!"-- JL

"I could never be more proud of my mom, Martha Edgerton, than I was last night!! This is a replica, in cake version, of one of her art piece...This is a MUST see and free for ALL!! #Knowyourhistory, #Prouddaughter, #Iwannabejustlikeherwhenigrowup, #igetitfrommymomma, #itsanEdgertonthing!"-ECL

"Congratulations!!"--JHR

"I will continue to follow.... Congratulations"-- CE

"Beautiful exhibit Martha! so glad that I was able to attend!"--LG

"It was great to see you again. The exhibit was wonderful. You put in a LOT of work on that."--LW

"I was just going to ask you how everything went. I'm glad it was a success!"--YJ

"CONGRATULATION SIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"--KE

"Congrats!!!!!!"--SSC

"You are such a gift from God. He has blessed you with a beautiful spirit and artistic skills. Keep up the good work."--EH

"I just want to say that, the exhibition was awesome, and to see the people that came out was great also. You have a great day."--LW

"It was a pleasure attending your reception—beautiful artwork, great presentation, warm people, and great food—thank you!!!"--DN-M

"Thanks for the tour of your fascinating exhibit, The Atlantic Slave Trade Through the Pages of Book Art, at the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore. Keep up the great work!"--Lawrence Hill (author of "The Book of Negroes")

"I believe GOD was guiding your hands to make such a work of art. It blows me away every time I look at the exhibition. As if I was there. I've seen it more than once. I plan to go back again. What a jewel!"--MM

"At the Pratt to see Martha Edgerton's exhibit entitled "The Amazing Race: The Atlantic Slave Trade Through the Pages of Book Art". Wonderful exhibit!"--TD

"Went to see a powerful exhibit at the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore today: The Amazing Race: The Atlantic Slave Trade through the Pages of Book Art. It's at the Annex Gallery of the Central Library through May 31. Go see it if you are in Baltimore! "--TA

"Truly inspired. Thank you."-- KI

"I have been to see The Amazing Race twice. I took some family members the second time. It is one of the most exciting art exhibits I have seen in a long time. The creativity of using the book as object to tell the story of the Middle Passage is amazing and wonderful. I wish this were a permanent exhibit at the Pratt. At the least, I wish this were going to be there until December 31 and that it would get more publicity. I hope all the art students in the city, particularly MICA and High School for the Arts students, have seen it."--GG 4/30/2015

"This dynamic exhibition is in its last days at the Pratt and should not be missed! The show is a visual feast for the viewer and provides an opportunity for parents to teach their children about this unpleasant but important part of our history." --DN-M 5/20/2015

"I loved the exhibit! You are something else! I really, really, really enjoyed it! Thank you, thank you, very much...I really was impressed and delighted with what I saw! Thank you again!"--BM 5/31/2015

"Very authentic and relistic portrays a shameful however trasformative and inspirational period in our history."--JG Jr

"God is worthy to be praised. Thank you."--Mr. & Mrs. B

"Great, informative exhibit! I've been Black all my life...yet learned sooo much more. Kudo's. Peace."--DKD

"Incredibly peaceful and timely exhibit. Thank you!"--BG

"One of the best exhibitions I have seen on slavery. Riveting!"--AR

"Incredible Journey. Great Exhibit."--DB

"Great display of life of an African American journey."--LB

"Thank you." DJD

"Quite eye opening. Beautiful visuals."--JB

"Such a talented artist, transforming books into little piecs of art. Bravo!"--unknown

"Wonderful art display!"--unknown

"This is indeed a great work of art...it is amazing..."--RG

"A wonderfully creation rendering of the African American experience."--ASC

"Thank you for your time, effort, putting together this educational exhibition."--unknown

"This exhibit is complex and striking. Martha is a true artist with vision and comlexity. She is able to capture both horror and beauty. Keep at it! Take your show on the road."--unknown

"Keep up the good work. Your art work is fantastic."--SH

"Remarkable!" MR

"Excellent display"--ESG

"Outstanding display."--CH

"Great beautiful"--JH

"Learned so much in so little time."--NC

"How amazing. Thank you for your care...for your creative pathway..."--KKA

"I thought it was a learning and thought provoking experience."--DB

"Very inclusive and educational and creative."--BT

"A must see exhibit!!!"--VE

"I'm so proud of you Aunt Martha!! I love this exhibit!!!"--TG

"So proud of you my sister! God is looking at you!!"--BGB

"No one has the right to make another human being their property."--RM

"Martha your exhibit is wonderfully crafted and informative. What an ingenious way to teach the history of the Atlantic Slave trade."--WB

"Always seeking new knowledge. It is very gratifying to encounter true history!!--GD

"This exhibit is very moving. It brings up emotions and thoughts about peoople, those who were slaves and those who enslaved people."--RW

"This is a wonderful [exhibit]. It makes me want to visit some of the other great collections

on African Americans."--unknown

"I reviewed the entire collection. The authors [artists]did an outstanding job."--SW

"Very interesting and beautiful exhibit."--DC

"This is a wonderful exhibit. I truly enjoyed it."--SR

"Outstanding! Informative, Artistic, Creative, Entertaining and Thought-Provoking! I sat back, wondered and marvelled over how we, how I got over! Thank you! Merci! Garcias! Arigato!"--BM3rd

"Thank you for the Amazing Race and thank god for his amazing grace."--PS

"Thoughtful, beautiful work. Thank you."--T

"Thank you! :-)"--LMD

"Very nice work! Outstanding indeed!"--SB

"Awesome! Captivating!"--TS

"Wonderful Display and Educational. God Bless you!!"--unknown

"Thank you for helping to keep our rich history alive, lest we forget." CM

"Greeting my sister: For living as a slave for 26 years in prison( a physical prison) I am so glad that God blessed you with true love for the children 2015 and forward. Thanks"-- Bro R

"This exhibit is inspiring and...amazing...love it! thanks Martha for your creativity."--BM

"From Oak Crest - This has been emotional inspiring tour..."--LK

"A wonderful, inspiring depiction of America's tragedy..."--MI

"Your exhibit is fantastic!--M